<a title="Medical Assistant" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/medical-assistant/">Clinical Medical Assisting</a> (CMA) students in <a title="SJVC Hanford" href="http://www.sjvc.edu/hanford/">Hanford</a> don’t want to wait until they graduate to experience work in a medical or residential care facility. This summer, SJVC CMA students, accompanied by two instructors, spent several hours touring four local medical and community resource facilities to learn first-hand what it is like to be on the front-lines of providing care to those in need.

The United Way’s <em>Day of Caring</em>, Salvation Army, Fresno’s Ronald McDonald House and Children’s Hospital Central California in Madera invited SJVC’s Clinical Medical Assisting students to tour their facilities and interact with staff and patients to better understand the career path these SJVC students have chosen.

Laura Cervantez, CMA instructor says, “These health care and family resource facilities opened up the scope of practice for our students and gave them a chance to network with staff and better familiarize themselves with a workforce they will soon be joining.”

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<strong><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/United-Way.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-288" title="United Way" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/United-Way-300x179.jpg" width="300" height="179" /></a>United Way’s <em>Day of Caring</em> and the Salvation Army</strong>

CMA instructors Laura Cervantez and Susan DeLong took 25-students to various elder care facilities in Hanford and Lemoore as part of their students’ career introduction and hands-on participation in patient care. Students engaged residents in various fun activities, including providing manicures and reading favorite books. Students ended the day by helping the Salvation Army with their Back-to-School Fair.

“It was a great day and the quality of care our students provided brought great satisfaction to all those in need; and I know our students learned that today,” says Mrs. Cervantez.

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<strong><a href="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ronald-McDonald-House.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-289" title="Ronald McDonald House" alt="" src="http://news.sjvc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ronald-McDonald-House-179x300.jpg" width="179" height="300" /></a></strong><strong>Ronald McDonald House</strong>

Fresno’s Ronald McDonald House has long been known for the little or no-cost home-away-from-home it provides families whose child is hospitalized.  With 67-rooms the house has been a generous resource for so many families sitting vigil during the day and seeking a restful refuge at night. CMA students enjoyed touring the house and children’s playground and meeting families in residence, as well as employees who are looking forward to moving into the new Ronald McDonald house that will accommodate 185 families.

“Our students were very engaged, asked a lot of questions and were very touched by the experience,” says Cervantez.

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<strong>Children’s Hospital Central California</strong>

Laura Cervantez and Corinna Avina (both instructors) took 19 eager CMA students to Children’s Hospital in Madera to tour the medical lab, emergency room and urology clinic. Many students were so interested in the hospital and impressed with its staff and level of care that they signed up to volunteer their time and skills in various departments.

San Joaquin Valley College has always believed in and supported career-oriented field trips and student volunteerism. A large part of classroom and laboratory education and training focuses on hands-on or experiential learning. SJVC is pleased to provide students with opportunities to explore their fields of study in actual care facilities.